Dolphin pose is a really nice prep - or even an alternative - for headstand. It’s also an alternative for those who find downward dog hard on the wrists. But it’s not easier than downward dog! See how my heels are lifted so high? That’s because it stretches the back of the legs way more intensely than downward dog and this yoga mama is tighter than she used to be…
Yes, I am wearing jeans in these pictures, which is usually not that comfortable unless they’re a little baggy. I just wanted to show you that yoga can happen spontaneously without a mat or fancy lululemon yoga pants (nothing against lululemon, I’m just a little bummy when it comes to fashion).
You can also practice dolphin pose with bent knees, especially if you feel your back rounding or getting overstretched. Notice how my shoulders are right over my elbows in the variation above while in the variation below, they are a little bit behind the elbows. One yoga journal article claims the shoulders must always be over the elbows, but I am going to kindly disagree. The alignment with shoulders slightly behind elbows is similar to downward dog; I don’t see how that could be harmful.
Tip: just make sure you ground down through the elbows to keep from collapsing in the shoulder joint.
Why is it called dolphin pose, you might wonder. I have no idea, but if I ever find out, I’ll let you know!